Metal beam



Sept. 15, 1925. 1,5548

- J. s. LOCHHEAD METAL BEAM Original Filed March 3, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Sept. 15, 1925. ,554,l08

J. S. LOCHH'EAD METAL BEAM Original Filed March 3. 19225 2 Sheets-5heet2 gnou/nto@ Jamef 5. b/v/vaci Patentedy Sept. 15,` 1925-.

TENT o FEicE- JAMES S. LOCHHEAD, OF PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-N'OR T0 JONES a IAUGHLIN STEEL CORPORATION, OFPITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A` COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL BEAM.

. Original application filed March 3, 1923, Serial No. 622,535. Dividedand this application led lt-Iay 13, 1924. serial No. 713,052.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I,VJAMEs S. LOCHHEAD, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented an Improvement in Metal Beams, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing l@ likeparts.

Q l'llhis invention relates to metal beams suitabler among other usesfor replacing Wooden joists and rafters in the construction ofresidences and buildings `where light loads prevail. L

This invention aims to provide a light weight I-section rolled metalbeams of much greater strength and stiffness than any solid web I-beamsof the same weight heretofore made.

Further aims and advantages of the' in-A vention appearfhereinafter inconnectionwith the illustrative embodiments thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings, Q5 wherein l Figs. l to 5, inclusive, illustratemetal joists embodying my'invention.

In the drawings the relative dimensions are shown or expressed inpercentages of the depth for convenience in making comarisons, thedimensions shown being actual dimensions of preferred shapes.

In the particular embodiments of my 1nvention selected for illustrationherein the I-beam shown in each ligure comprises a web having athickness (t) not greater than one-tenth of an inch plus one-tenth ofthe beam` depth (al) divided by twelve. This relationship may beexpressed. as 'followsz Preferably the fiange breadth is about six-Ateen to twenty times the web thickness of beams within the .range ofsizes shown in the drawlngs, the ratiobeing preferably less in thesmaller sizes.

For example, in Fig. 1, the I-beam has a depth of nine inches, thethickness of the web 5 is .125 inches, which equals 1.4% of thedepth,-and the width 2.335, which is 25.9% of the depth.

In Fig. 2, the I-beam has a vdepth of twelve inches, the'thickness oftheweb 7 is .147, whlch equals 1.20% of the depth, and the width of theflanges 8 4is 3.083, which is 25.7% of the depth. v In Fig. 3, theI-beamv has a depth of. six inches, the thickness ofthe web 9 is .120,which equals 2% of the de of the flanges 6 is pth, and the width of theange 10 is 1.756, which is 29.2% i

of the depth.

l In Fig. 4, the I-beam has a depth of five inches, the thickness of theweb 11 is .113, which equals 2.26% of the depth, and the width of the`flanges 12 is 1.965, which is 39.3% of the depth. f

In Fig. 5, the I-beam has a depth' of four inches, the thickness of theweb 13 is .106, which'equals 2.65% of the depth, and the Width of theflanges 14 is 1.952, which is 48.8% of the depth.

These relative' dimensions of the web.

thickness and flange breadthof beams embodying my invention are fifty tosixty per i cent less than the corresponding dimensions A of standard`I`beams of the same depths of even the lightest sections rolled;accordingly the weight of my improved beams is correspondingly lessthanthat of standard sections of the same depth, and more nearlyapproximates the weight of wooden joists two inches thick and ofthe sameor'slightly greater depths, for which joists beams of my invention mayadvantageously be substituted.

As is well known, the deflection of a beam under a given safe loadvaries 'inversely with the moment of inertia, and the safe load variesdirectly with' the modulus of rupture; hence it is desirable to shape'the beam so as to givev values for the moment of inertia and mpdulusofrupture as large as possible consistent with the practicablelimitations of manufacture by rolling processes,

Theproportions of the several beams shown in the drawings'asillustrative of myy beams embodying my invention not only are ness andWidth of the flanges.

far superior for firepr-oof construction but lthey are slightly strongerforl the same,`

Weight, and have the further advantage of being shallower for the samestrength and stidness, for all span .lengths usual for floors inbuildings as commonly designed; and the built up sheet metal beams areinferior to mine in transverse strength and stiffness andare also muchmore expensive to manufacture. y

Beams illustrating my invention possess the advantages of greatstiffness combined With light Weight, making them suitable for longerspans than'either standard I-be'ams or channels of the same Weight perfoot, and thereby enabling a lighter and stronger floor to beconstructed-than has heretoforebeen possible with rolled beams.

Prior attempts to produce light Weight flanged beams have been directedtoward a reduction in the thickness of the web without a correspondingreduction in thethick- The beams thus produced lhave a tendency tobuckle .in the web and attendant difficulties' due to the relativelygreater preponderance of metal in the flanges of such beams than in thestandard beams. My vinvention avoids these difficulties by maintainingapproxi-l' mately the relative proportions between web thickness andflange area found satisfactory for standard beams of similar sizes.

Myimproved beams lnay be made from suitably shaped blanks loy adaptingknown methods and devices for metal rolling.

' Oiher methods that may be used advantageously are disclosed inco-pending applications for Letters Patent .of ythe United 1. A rolledsolid web I-beam havingadepth .not over 12" and not under 4, and

a Web thickness not over one-tenth of aninch plus oneone-hundred-and-twentieth of the depth, and a flange Width-proportionalto the `web thickness, said'proportion varying with the depth. -2.Arolled solid web I-beam having a depth not over 12" and not under 4, anda web thickness not over one-tenth of an .inch plus oneone-hundred-and-twentieth of the depth.

3. A rolled solid web I-beam having a Y dep/th not over 12 and not under10,"a

thickness of VWeb not greater than 1.8% of the depth an a flange Widthnot greater than 39.6%0 the depth.

4. A rolled` solid Vweb I-beam having a depthnot over 10 'and not under8, a

thickness of web not greater than 2% of4 the depth anda flange Width notgreater than 44% of the depth. I

5.*A rolledl solid web -I-beam having a depth not over 8 and not under6, a thickness of web not greater than 2.2% of the depth, and a. flangewidth not' greater than 48.4% of the depth. v

6. A rolled solid Web I-beam having a de th not over 6 and not under 4,a thickness of web not greater than 2.8% of thel depth, and a flangeWidth not greater than 56.4% of the depth.

7. A rolled solid I-section beam having a relatively deep, thin Web, thedepth being not `over 12 and not under 4 and the thickness'of web Vbeingnot greater than 1.8% to 2.8% of the depth and having a relatively wideand thin flange, the width whereof is not greater than 39.6% to 56.4% ofthe depth of said web, substantially as described.

8. A rolled solidweb I-beam having an approximate depth of 12, anapproximate thickness of web of .147, and an 'approximate flange Widthof 3.083, respectively.

9. A rolled solid Web I-beam having an approxinxate depth of 9, anapproximate thickness of web of .125,` and an approximate flange widthof 2.335, respectively. 10. A rolled solid web I-beam having anapproximate'depth ot, an apprximate thickness of vweb of .120, and anapproxlmate flange width of 1.756 res )ectivel 11. A rolled solid webI-beam having an approximate depth of 4, and an approximate thicknessofweb of 4.106, and an approximate flange Width of 1.952.

12. A rolled solid web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being not over 12" and not under 4 and the thickness of the weband Width of the flanges being proportional to the depth andapproximately 1.2% to4 2.65% and 25.7%

to 48.8% thereof, respectively` substantially ness of the web and Widthof the flanges' bein proportional to the depth and approximately 1.20%to 25.7% thereof, re-

spectively, for a depthof 12", substantially,

as described.

15. A rolled solid web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin Web, the'depth being not under 8 and not over 10 and the thickness of the Web andWidth of the langes being proportional to the depth and approximately1.4% and 25.9% thereof, respectively, for a depth of 9, substantially asdescribed.

16. A rolled solid web I-beam. havin a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being under 8 and not under 6, and thethickness of the web andWidth` of the flanges being pro ortional to the depth and approximate y2% and 29.2% thereof, respectively, for a depth of 6l, substantially asdescribed. l

17. A rolled solid web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being under 6 and the thickness of web and Width of flangesbeing-proportional to the depth and approximately 2.65% and 48.4%v

thereof, respectively, for a depth of 4,

substantially as describe l 18. A rolled solid web I-beamhaving arelatively deep, thin web, the depth being not under 4 and not over 12"and the,

thickness of the web and Width of the ianges being proportional to thedepth and approximately 1.2% and 25.7% thereof, respectivel for a depthof 12, substantially as descri ed.

19. A rolled solid web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being over 10 and not over 12, and thethickness of the web beingproportional to the depth and approximately 1.20% thereof for a` depthof 20. A rolled solid Web I-beam'having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being not under 8 and not over 10 and the thickness of the webbeing proportional to the depth and approximately 1.4% rthereof for adepth of 9, substantially as described.

21. A rolled solid web I- Ibeam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being under 8" and not under 6, and the thickness of the vWebbeing proportional to the depth and approximately-2% thereof for a depthof 6, substantially as described.

22. A rolled solid web I-.beam having a of'the depth of saidl 12,substantially .as described.

relatively deep, thin web, the-depth b'eing under 6", and the thicknessof Web being proportional tov the depth and approximately 2.65% thereof,for a'depth of 4, substantially as described.

23. A rolled solid Web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being not over 12 andnot under 4J', and the thickness of the Webbeing not greater than 1.8% to of the depth, substantially as described.

24. A rolledsolid web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web. the.depth being over 10 and not over 12,` and the thickness of the Web beingnot greater than v1.8% of the/depth. v

25. A` rolled `solid Web I-beam having a depth not over 10- and notunder 8, and a thickness of web not greater than 2% of the depth.

26. A rolled solid Web I-beam having a relatively deep, thin web, thedepth being under 8 and not under 6, and the thickness of the-Web beingnot greater than 2.2% of the depth. 27. A rolled solid Web I-beamhavinga relatively deep, thi-n Web, the, depth being under v6. Yand thethickness of web being not greater than 31/3% of the depth.

28. A rolled solid web I-beam of a transverse -strength and weight perfoot suitable for-` replacing Wooden joists for floor con' struction andhaving its web thickness not greater than the ,stated proportion of itsdepth. A 5,]

\ 29. A rolled solid Web I-beam of a transverse strength and Weight perfoot suitable for replacing Wooden jois'ts for floor construction andhaving its flange- Width not greater than 2" plus one-sixth of itsdepth.

30. A rolled solid I-section beam having a relatively deep, thin web,the depth ofthe beam-being under 12 and the thickness of the web beingWithinl about 1.2% to' 313% of the depth, and having a relatively thinflange, the Width Awhereof is approximately sixteen to twenty timesthe'thickness of said web, substantially as described. L

31. A metal beam characterized bythe fact that it is formed by` rolling,with a thifn, deep Web and flanges all integral andcohtinuous'throughout, said beaml having Web and flanges thinner thancustomary for v beams of the same depth and having a 32. A Ifnetal` beam'characterized by the fact that it is formed by rolling,'with a lWeb land flanges all integral and continuous throughout, the Web-'thicknessof said beam being not over one-tenth of aninch plus oneone-hundredand-twentieth of its depth, and the transverse strength ofsaid beam being in excess of that of a commercial wooden rafter or )01sthaving approximately the same weight per foot.

33. A metal beam characterized by the 'fact that it is formed by rollingwith a thinner than customary Web and a proportionally narrower flangeWidth and having its depth, flange Width and weight approximating thoseof a commercial iyooden rafter or joist. and its transverse strength inexcess of saidrafter or joist, said beam being approxin'iately as stronginproportion to its Weight as standard rolled metal beams of the samedepth.

34. A metal beam c-haraeterizedby the fact that its web s rolledcontinuous andV integral With its flanges and n'ieasurably heretoforebeen customary, said beam having less than vhalf the Weight of existingrolled integralsolid web beams of the same depth and over -twiee vthetransverse- .Strength of existing rolled integral solid web beams of thesame weight.

-proportion to its weighta's existing rolled solid web beamsf similardepth.'

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speoilieation.

JAMES s. LooHHnAD.-

